


I Believe

by genagirl



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Happy Ending, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-09
Updated: 2013-09-09
Packaged: 2017-12-26 02:38:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/960587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/genagirl/pseuds/genagirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's going to take something pretty good to make Blair Sandburg, believe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Believe

I Believe

by Gena 

 

“Damnit!”

 

Jim Ellison cast a wry glance at his partner. 

“Where’s your Christmas Spirit, Chief?”

 

“Ha, ha,” Sandburg muttered, wiping ineffectually at

the coffee dripping down the front of his coat and

glaring at the retreating, package laden, figure

who’d nearly knocked him off his feet. The Cascade

Mall had turned out to be a favorite destination of

nearly everybody in Cascade that morning. It had been

his suggestion to hit the stores early on a Tuesday

and avoid the normal rush of holiday shoppers, but

that was proving difficult. “I’m surprised you can

ask that?”

 

“Why, because you’re Jewish?” Jim asked, and paused

to stare at a display of honey roasted almonds on one

of the numerous carts lining the mall’s main

corridors. The scent was enticing but mingled with

the tinny sound of a dozen different Christmas Carols

and the garish decorations he was beginning to wish he

hadn’t given into Sandburg’s urgings. He liked

Christmas, a lot, but shopping wore away at his

control and he usually ended up lying on the couch at

home with a killer headache and Sandburg guiltily

berating himself. 

 

“No, not because I’m Jewish,” Blair declared, “because

of the rampant commercialism. I figured that would

annoy you.”

 

Jim considered a moment, then shrugged. “Goes with

the territory, doesn’t mean the spirit isn’t there.”

 

Blair gave him a considering look. “So, you think the

Spirit of Christmas is alive even though we’re in a

packed mall being trampled by people wanting an extra

30% off paper shredders and picking up the first thing

they see just to say they bought so and so a present? 

That’s the Spirit of Christmas?”

 

“Sure, just like Santa,” Jim said.

 

“And you believe in Santa?” The sarcasm in Sandburg’s

voice made Jim chuckle. “Aren’t you a little old to

believe in Santa?”

 

“Aren’t you a little old to believe in Sentinels?” 

Jim shot back.

 

“They’re real,” Blair pointed out, poking Jim in the

chest to prove it. “Santa is another product of

modern capitalism intended to spur the economy on at a

certain time of year.” His speech earned him a few

quizzical looks from passersby and a fond smile from

Ellison.

 

“Here.” Jim reached into his coat and pulled out his

wallet, “take this.” 

 

Sandburg stared at him, then took the wallet. “You

want me to carry it for you?”

 

“No. I want you to go over there,” Ellison pointed to

Target, “use my credit card and buy five things that

someone needs.”

 

Sandburg looked at the wallet, then up at his friend. 

“Are you okay, Jim? Is this crowd too much for you?”

 

Ellison smiled and patted his partner’s shoulder. In

truth he had the beginnings of a headache but he

wasn’t about to admit it. “I’m fine,” he said, “just

do this for me.”

 

“What do you want me to get,” Blair asked, “and for

who?”

 

“Five things, Chief,” Jim repeated, “that someone

needs. Spend whatever you want. I’ll be over there,”

he waved a hand at the benches provided for tired

shoppers and bored husbands. 

 

“O-kay,” Blair said uncertainly. He watched Ellison

wander over to a nearby bench and plop down. The

warmth of body heated leather drew his attention and

he looked down at the wallet in his hand. What the

hell was Jim doing? Shaking his head, Sandburg

entered the busy store. He stood there a moment, just

looking around. People were scowling at crumpled

lists, muttering to themselves while others were

humming along with the Christmas carols coming over

the speaker. Buy five things that someone needs. 

What the hell was he suppose to buy? Blair wandered

the isles for a while, just looking at the stuff on

display. Why was it that people thought their wives

or mothers would appreciate a tacky pin and earring

set at Christmas when they’d never shown the slightest

desire at any other time of year? 

 

An insulated coat in shades of blue caught his eye and

made Blair think of the kid who carried out groceries

at the Market on Fourth street. Not more than

sixteen, Bobby always had a smile on his face and a

kind word for all the elder shoppers whose groceries

he carried out to their cars. He wore a blue coat but

it was patched and the sleeves had holes beneath the

arms. Blair grinned and pulled a coat off the rack. 

A display of dolls reminded him of Bonnie Sandberg and

her two daughters, they were all blondes with bright

blue eyes. The Sandbergs lived in an apartment

building down from the loft, and received government

assistance. Blair had once gotten her check by

mistake. They were nice people but the apartment had

been sparse and the kids playing with a single doll. 

He grabbed two dolls, several boxes of accessories and

on impulse a sweater he thought would make Bonnie’s

eyes sparkle.

 

A plaid dog blanket made him think of Ralph, the

homeless guy they always passed on the way to the

station. Ralph had rescued a small grey mutt a few

months earlier and loved it with a depth of passion

everyone who met them could see. Adding a pair of

boots, some socks and gloves, to his growing

collection, Blair continued shopping. He’d bought

things for four people who needed something, one

person left. With a smile, Blair selected the last

item, made his way to the long lines at the checkout

and paid with Jim’s credit card. He was smiling when

he sat down beside Ellison on the bench fifteen

minutes later.

 

“How’d it go, Chief?” Jim asked.

 

“Pretty good. Now what?” Blair handed back the

wallet and watched Jim pick up more than half the

packages. 

 

“Now we head home.” It didn’t take long to reach the

loft, even with stopping for Italian on the way. 

Blair never said a word when Jim took the wrapping

paper out of the closet and began on the gifts. Soon

there was a pile of neatly wrapped presents on the

coffee table and Ellison was shrugging into his

jacket. “Come on, Chief,” Jim said. He gathered the

gifts and went down to the street. Blair followed

silently. “Who’s this for?” Jim asked and held up

the coat.

 

“Bobby at the Market,” Blair told him. Jim nodded and

walking together they made their way to the small

neighborhood store. It had started snowing as they’d

eaten and now it haloed around the streetlight, making

the whole city glow magically. Blair stole glances at

his partner as they walked, awed by the fall of snow

and enchanted by the smile on Jim’s face. It took

only minutes to walk to the Market and once they were

there Jim halted Blair with a hand on his arm.

 

“Bobby’s inside, his boss wants all the carts brought

in.” Jim handed over the package with the coat

inside. Blair could see that the tag on it read TO

BOBBY FROM SANTA. “Over there,” Ellison directed. 

Blair hurried to a cart and propped the package in it.

They hide around the corner, both men peeking out as

Bobby came out and found the gift. The kid’s face

registered his wonder, a gift left by an invisible

hand. Blair couldn’t wipe the smile off his face when

he looked up at his partner. “Still think there’s no

Santa, Chief?”

 

“I’m starting to believe,” Blair admitted. They made

two more stops within the next hour, leaving the dolls

and sweater outside the apartment where the Sandberg’s

would find them and taking the truck out to find Ralph

and his dog Sutter in the ally they had claimed as

their own. The girls’ shrieks of joy had made Jim

wince but Blair a strange warmth had suffused Blair as

he watched them and their bewildered mother. Ralph

and Sutter’s reactions were just as priceless and by

the time they were back in the truck, Blair realized

he’d been filled with the Christmas Spirit all along,

it’d just gotten bogged down and overshadowed. 

 

“Who’s this one for?” Jim asked. In his hand he held

the last of the presents; the one Blair had picked up

on impulse. 

 

“Uh, well, open it,” Blair said quietly.

 

“Chief?”

 

Blair grinned, “just open it.” He knew Jim could hear

his elevated heartbeat. Ellison gave him a searching

look then slowly peeled away the paper. Two pair of

sexy, silky briefs lay within the box. 

 

“I need sexy underwear?” Jim murmured.

 

“No,” Blair said and grasped his partner by the back

of the neck, hauling him in for a soul deep kiss. 

“That gift is what I need,” he panted. “I really need

to see you wear them.”

 

Ellison deepened the kiss, then drew back to whisper,

“Do you believe in Santa now?”

 

“Yes, Jim, I believe.”

 

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL


End file.
